Dog Lover Community

Just like people, many dogs suffer from arthritis, specifically osteoarthritis. Unbelievably, up to thirty percent of family pets have arthritis. They experience pain, swelling and stiffness the same as humans do. Some people refer to it as degenerative joint disease and it has the ability to change your dog, from very playful and energetic, to pain ridden and listless. Arthritis is the breakdown of protective cartilage, which covers and protects the bone joints. By nature, many dogs are extremely active and because of this, subject their joints to trauma. Unlike humans, when a dog injures itself, pet arthritic conditions often develop within weeks. Older dogs are more prone to arthritis as their cartilage deteriorates, especially in the larger breeds. There is more stress put on the joints from their weight and this worsens over time. Some of the types of arthritis in dogs are osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, knee dysplasia, and Osteochondritis, hypertrophy and shoulder degeneration.

Because our pets cannot tell us they are in pain, here are some of the signs that may indicate that your dog is suffering from arthritis:

Limping - Your dog limps or favors a leg, but has no injury to its paws

Slow moving - Your usually active pet moves at a much slower pace, has trouble running and jumping, has difficulty climbing stairs or shies away from playing

Walking - They lag behind you when taking them for a walk or are very listless and hesitant to go walking at all.

Crying or yelping - If you touch then in a certain area, they yelp or do not want you touching them.

Difficulty rising - When the dog goes to get up from sleeping or laying down, they have great difficulty or yelp, making it obvious that they are having problems, are all signs of arthritis.

As upsetting as it is, do not panic if the vet diagnosis your dog with arthritis. Unlike years ago, there are many very good remedies to help alleviate and control your dog’s pain. If your dog is overweight, the first thing your vet will recommend is a weight loss program. Just like humans, the more weight you carry, the harder it is on your joints and this is no different for dogs. Have your vet recommend a healthy diet for your special companion that gradually helps them lose weight without being hungry all the time. As much as you hate having to cut down on their dog treats, this is for the health of your animal. There are several medications available to help control or end the pain. Always follow the vets instructions on the amount and frequency of the medication prescribed for your dog. They know exactly how much to give your dog and if you decide to up the dose or cut down on it, you could do more harm than good. Once you remove the pain, and your dog moves about easily, you can resume taking them for walks and getting exercise. You may want to discuss arthritis supplements for your dog, with your vet.

Find hundreds more articles like this at http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com, where you can also find unique dog beds, dog supplies, and pet furniture that you’ll never find at your local pet store. In fact, if you later find your order being sold at your local Petco, we’ll refund your purchase plus an extra $20!

Tags: arthritis, dog, dog health, dog joint, dogs, health, joint, pet, petsarthritis, dog, dog health, dog joint, dogs, health, joint, pet, pets

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It’s the usual thing every Parent goes through from time to time I guess.

“Daaaad, why can’t we get a dog?”

“Well son it’s like this, they take a lot of caring, they’re a big responsibility, they need feeding (this is starting to sound like a job description for Parenthood in general I know), and they need someone to walk them on cold dark winter nights.” Hit them hard with the triple mantra of “Dog Health, Dog Grooming and Dog Training” I thought, that will do the trick..

So four weeks later there I was heading with my sister in law to the nearest branch of the Dogs Trust to check out some abandoned puppies from a litter that had been taken in before Christmas and were coming up to eleven weeks old and it was crunch time.

“What sort of dog were you looking for sir and what sort of experience have you had with dogs? We will need to take out references and check out where the dog is going to live, whether it is safe.” Heck, this was starting to sound like a job interview with the local bank not some search for an abandoned pooch.

It would possibly have been easier to pack a suitcase full of cash and hop on the next plane to some third world country and come home with a baby - a contentious view point I know but says more about the shoddy approach to most Intercountry Adoptions but I digress.

Five minutes later there I was walking round the inner courtyard of what sounded like canine hell. There is something deeply tragic about the way we treat our pets in this world (marginally better then we treat our fellow humans I know) and unless we stop treating pets and dogs especially with the same disposable mentality that we use when buying our next cheeseburger it is only going to get worse.

Trying to take a reasoned and rational approach to what can only be best described as a display of truly pathetic (in the truest of senses) wretchedness is extremely difficult. The Dogs Trust is wonderful organisation that copes, alongside numerous others, in a much challenged environment, with a miniscule budget and essentially damaged goods. It is a hard task to manage in a situation whereby the credo of the organisation is “we do not destroy any dogs” means that there is an ever increasing strain on budgets. The upshot of all of this is that you find yourself in a canine equivalent of a used car showroom but without the shiny cars, heating and cheap aftershave to keep you company.

It is a very functional environment whereby the dogs are well cared for, fed, kept warm, safe, dry and medically cared for but the Ritz Carlton it is not. The dogs are kept in pens with wire partitions and once one starts barking the rest join in for what seems to be the fun of it. The inhabitants of this canine community seem to recognise what is going on and pathetically struggle to out muscle, out do, and generally create as much interest in them as possible. Of course there is always the compete opposite, the really damaged ones who seem to have lost all interest in human contact remembering not too fondly the lack of humanity or brutality that led them to be here in the first place.

Interesting choice, I thought, feeling rather guilty at the fact that no matter what choice I made there were going to be at least forty or fifty of these frantic barking creatures that would be left here waiting for a better draw from the “lottery of fate” on another day.

I was very aware of the fact that the main driving force behind this choice was the fact that I had a seven year old son who was probably going to be the dogs main companion over the course of it’s life and therefore it would be an idea to find a dog that got on well with humans (not as easy as you think) and kids especially.

Yes, you got it; we ended up with a puppy, a cross between a Black Labrador and a Border collie (we think). It was one of those tragically funny situations when I looked at the paperwork and there it was in front of me, “Mother - Black Labrador, Father - unknown”. Apparently, the litter had been taken in before Christmas and though the mother was acquired at the same time and therefore known, the “likeliest suspect” for the Father apparently was a working dog at the nearest farm thereby giving rise to the “Border Collie, we think” routine.

As most dog owners will testify, despite feeling as if I had accomplished a great deal, it was only the beginning.

Steve Morgan is a freelance journalist who writes in many subject areas. He is a father to seven year old Sam and the family have recently acquired Elmo, a Black Labrador Border Collie Cross bred. 50 lbs of Fun, Fur and Destruction. Information about the goings on with Elmo can be found at http://www.nutsaboutpets.info and http://www.dogtrainingonline.ws plus regular Blog updates can be found at http://dogtraininguk.blogspot.com/

Tags: dog grooming, dog health, dog training, pets, puppiesdog grooming, dog health, dog training, pets, puppies

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Avian influenza, also known as bird flu or H5N1, is a viral disease that most commonly affects birds. It has appeared from time to time in regions around the world. It can spread easily among wild birds, but can also infect domestic birds including chickens, turkeys, ducks, and can also affect humans and other mammals. There is a rising concern that the H5N1 virus could cause a flu pandememic.

The CDC says that dogs are not usually susceptilbe to avian influenza viruses. However, the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus that emerged in Asia in 2003 has been documented to infect other carnivore species (e.g. cats, tigers, leopards, stone martens). This has raised concern that this strain of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus may be capable of infecting dogs. An unpublished report from 2005 by The National Institute of Animal Health in Bangkok indicated that dogs could be infected with the virus, but the associated disease was not detected. Researchers tested 629 village dogs and 111 cats in the Suphan Buri district of central Thailand. Out of these, 160 dogs and 8 cats had antibodies to H5N1, indicating that they were infected with the virus or had been infected in the past.

There were news reports of a stray dog dying from bird flu (H5N1)in Azerbaiijan in March. This was the first reported death of a dog from the virus. So far, this appears to be an isolated case. The World Health Organization(WHO) states on it’s website that a better understanding of the situation in animals is, however, urgently needed.

So far, there is not enough information available about H5N1 in dogs to know how infection would occur. Most human cases have come from contact with infected poultry or feces. Affected cats in Europe appear to have become infected by eating infected poultry or wild birds. It is possible dogs could be infected the same way.

If H5N1 is found in your area, (at this time H5N1 has not been found in North America), it may be a good idea to keep your dog indoors unless restrained, to prevent contact with infected birds and their feces. If you have a hunting dog, you may want to reconsider using it for retrieving downed birds. Report to the local veterinary authority any evidence of significant bird mortality, both wild and domestic. If your dog shows breathing problems or nasal discharge, consult a veterinarian. Wash animal blankets with soap or any other commercial detergent.

An equine virus has recently shown up in dogs in the U.S. It is believed that the equine influenza virus mutated to produce the canine influenza virus. This may be a slighlty higher risk for dogs than avian influenza. This inter-species re-assortment is not uncommon for type A influenza viruses. It is unclear when this transition occurred.

Symptoms of canine influenza can be similar to kennel cough and include: a persistant, soft, moist cough, and a thick nasal discharge. More severe cases may include high fevers, pneumonia, and difficulty breathing, which can also be caused by a secondary bacterial infection.

If your dog exhibits any of these symtpoms, consult your veterinarian.

So far, there has been no indication of transmission from dog to human. There is no vaccine available at this time. Treatment is usually limited to IV fluids to help keep your dog hydrated or antibiotics to help control the infection.

For more information concerning the Canine Influenza, and Avian Influenza check out:

www.avma.org/

www.cdc.gov/

So, is your dog safe from the bird flu? No one seems to have a solid answer one way or another at this time. A little caution may be warranted, but the choice is yours: Would you rather your prized hunting dog stay home under the bed rather than risk catching the bird flu, or be out leading the hunt, doing what he loves? The best advise we have right now is always pay close attention to your dogs health. If your dog shows signs of ill health, consult your veterinarian. This will ensure you have a healthy, happy companion for years to come.

Copyright 2006 Andrew Saari

Andrew Saari contributes articles to several websites. For the latest on dog health visit http://www.quickdogtraining.com

Tags: dog health, dog health info, dog health issues, dogs, petsdog health, dog health info, dog health issues, dogs, pets

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